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Reconciliation Action Plan 2018–22 1

ReconciliationAction Plan2018–22

DHS005_Dept Human services_RAP_A4_297x210mm_Final.indd 1 25/10/18 9:36 am

Cocos (Keeling)

Islands

Christmas Island

Torres Strait Islands

Norfolk Island

Acknowledgement of Country and Traditional Owners The Department of Human Services acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the lands we live on. We pay our respects to all Elders, past and present, of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nations.

Each fingerprint on this map of Australia represents where we serve people. Together, our agents, access points and offices give us a wide and deep footprint across the land.


Cocos (Keeling)

Islands

Christmas Island

Torres Strait Islands

Norfolk Island


Inspiration behind our designThe colour and style of this plan were inspired by the above artwork, which was created for 2017 National Reconciliation Week. This artwork was done with the help of the gifted artist James Baban, who has been an influential role model for our Indigenous employees working right across Australia.

The design involved hundreds of staff showing their commitment to reconciliation by placing their fingerprint on a canvas to create the beautiful concentric circles representing the breadth of support and services provided by the department, and the diversity of its employees and customers.

The feet surrounding the centre were developed by each of our service zones across Australia. They symbolise the department’s vast reach and the culturally respectful support it provides to all Australians, from different backgrounds, across the nation.

The centre canvas is permanently displayed at our Caroline Chisholm Centre building in Canberra, while the 16 unique artworks surrounding it are displayed in the service zones that created them. They are visual reminders of what reconciliation can make possible.

AcknowledgementsThis document has been developed by the Department of Human Services with the assistance of Gilimbaa, a Certified Supply Nation Supplier, which contributed to the design concept of this document.

WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are warned that this document may contain images of deceased people.


What’s in this Plan?Our vision 1

Foreword from our Secretary 3

Message from Reconciliation Australia 4

Our commitment 5

The purpose of this plan 5

Our footprint 5

Why reconciliation matters 6

Our journey 7

What we have achieved to date 7

Indigenous Apprenticeship Program 9

Indigenous Champions 10

What we have learned 11

What we will achieve over the next four years 13

The national conversation 13

How we will make it happen

Our leadership commitments 15

Our people commitments 17

Our relationship commitments 19

Our service commitments 21

Reporting and governance 23

Would you like to learn more? 25


1 Department of Human Services

Our vision is a better future for all Australians through our commitment to

reconciliation



Foreword from our SecretaryI am delighted to present the fourth Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) for the Department of Human Services. I am proud of the achievements the department has made in its reconciliation journey and am pleased with the ambition of its next steps.

I am particularly pleased to be reaffirming the department’s commitment to reconciliation in a year that marks a decade since the National Apology to the Stolen Generations, a key turning point in drawing the nation closer to reconciliation.

Over the past few years the department has made great strides in its reconciliation journey and, as an Elevate organisation, has been instrumental in shaping the journey of the Australian Public Service (APS).

We have improved career pathways in the APS for Indigenous Australians right across the country. We have increased the size of our work with Indigenous businesses. We have rolled out Indigenous cultural awareness training to more public servants and created more opportunities for them to deepen their understanding and respect for Indigenous culture.

This has only been achieved through our people’s tireless efforts who, while being scattered right across Australia, are united in their passion for reconciliation. Together, we are excited about the next steps of our reconciliation journey, which take our commitment to the next level.

Our RAP 2018–22 outlines our actions to progress reconciliation: we want to develop and engage more Indigenous leaders, improve our servicing to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, share more of our capabilities across the APS, help preserve Indigenous languages and help the APS play a greater role in the national conversation about reconciliation.

This plan sets the context for our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Employees Strategy 2018–22 and our Indigenous Servicing Strategy 2018–22, which help ensure we stay on course to deliver on our promises.

It is our firm belief that all Australians have a part to play in bringing the country closer to national reconciliation. Through our leadership, we want to encourage more people to make a contribution to national reconciliation.

Please take time to read this plan thoroughly and consider how you can make a personal commitment and professional contribution to making national reconciliation a reality.

Renée Leon PSMSecretary of the Department of Human Services



A message from the CEO of Reconciliation AustraliaReconciliation Australia congratulates the Department of Human Services on its past successes and ongoing commitment to advancing reconciliation as it adopts its fourth RAP.

The department was one of the first organisations to develop a RAP following the program’s inception over ten years ago. During its extensive reconciliation journey, the department has maintained a strong commitment to its RAP goals, and its excellent track record has seen it implement not one, but two Elevate RAPs.

The RAP program inspires social change in workplaces across Australia, generating economic and behavioural transformation with far–reaching, positive impacts. By raising the bar of its RAP ambitions, the department is setting an example as a leader in reconciliation.

As a government department delivering a broad range of services to people nation–wide, including health and welfare, the department is uniquely placed to communicate the importance of reconciliation, as well as embed it into the core of its business practices.

On its RAP journey, the department has delivered positive outcomes across the key pillars of reconciliation: relationships, respect, and opportunities, and continues to demonstrate its leadership by delivering cultural learning, respectful business practices, and increased Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment. Its commitment to engaging greater numbers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff at management and senior leadership positions will have a positive impact on policy decisions and program outcomes that benefit the whole nation.

On behalf of Reconciliation Australia, I congratulate the department on adopting an Elevate RAP and look forward to following its future achievements.

Karen MundineCEO, Reconciliation Australia

As a government department delivering a broad range of services to people nation–wide, including health and welfare, the Department of Human Services is uniquely placed to communicate the importance of reconciliation, as well as embed it into the core of its business practices



The purpose of this planThe department has a unique and compelling reconciliation story to tell, a story of transformation.

Unique, because our footprint across Australia is wide, and our reach is far. Nearly every Australian comes into contact with the department at some point in their lives. Each day we interact with hundreds of thousands of people of all ages, backgrounds and circumstances.

Compelling, because we have shown how our reconciliation strategies – promoted through our vast footprint – can make a real difference in people’s lives. As an organisation, we are modernising the way we work and do business with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities. This plan continues our story of transformation, which we hope will come to reflect a transformation in the wider Australian community. We want to lead the APS in striving for better outcomes for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Our footprint is wideWe deliver health, welfare, child support and other payments and services to almost every Australian. In 2017–18 alone, we made $173.4 billion in payments to people and healthcare providers across the country.

Our scale, expertise, delivery network and digital services are substantial. The department comprises some 33,000 staff spread across 346 service centres and has 238 access points throughout Australia. Our work underpins the health and welfare of the nation and its economy. We also support people in times of crisis and natural disasters.

We provide services through our service centres, agents and access points across Australia, our call centres and our digital channels. In 2017–18, we managed more than 17.7 million visits to our service centres, some 48 million calls, and more than 730 million self–service transactions.

Our broad footprint across Australia means we play a critical role in the lives of many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples living in urban, regional, rural and remote communities – connecting them to Australian Government payments and services.

Our commitmentThe Department of Human Services is committed to reconciliation in Australia. We believe that by working with the people we serve, our staff, businesses, non–government organisations and other government agencies, we can make a real difference in people’s lives.

We want to build stronger relationships and respect between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non–Indigenous Australians. We want to improve the health and economic opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their communities which will create a better future for all Australians.



Why reconciliation mattersAll Australians should feel connected to the tens of thousands of years of history of the Australian continent and its surrounding islands. Reconciliation can influence organisations and individuals to reconsider the way they think and work. From the farthest islands to the biggest cities across the country, reconciliation enriches the lives of Australians and strengthens their resolve for a better shared future.

We know that events such as the 1967 referendum, the 1992 Mabo High Court decision and the 2008 National Apology to the Stolen Generations have transformed the landscape of reconciliation in Australia. We acknowledge that while support for reconciliation is growing within the Australian community, we need to do more. We are confident that our vision can be realised and we share the commitment of successive governments to supporting reconciliation and closing the gap in Indigenous disadvantage.

We all have a responsibility to work and live together and in our own ways to bring about change for the betterLuke Eyre, Indigenous Services Officer and Indigenous Apprenticeships Program Alumnus



Our journeyWhat we have achieved to dateWe are very proud of how far we have come. With the release of our RAP 2015–17, we were the first Australian Government department awarded Elevate status by Reconciliation Australia — a status reserved for organisations with a long and successful history in the reconciliation program.

This recognised our history of working closely with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across Australia and our unwavering commitment to employment opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Our achievements include:• Increasing our percentage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff from

3.1 per cent to 5.2 per cent• Spending more than $24 million with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses• Recruiting 645 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples into the APS through

the Indigenous Apprenticeship Program• Integrating Welcome to Country and Acknowledgement of Country into all official events• Establishing the APS Indigenous Champions Network• Having 95 per cent of our staff complete Indigenous Cultural Awareness Training

and delivering this training to 16 other APS agencies• Integrating the Jawun program into our leadership development program• Embedding Indigenous community engagement principles into the delivery of our services• Developing an Indigenous Mentoring Program for our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff• Developing a National Indigenous Social Worker training package which reflects

world’s best practice• Providing access to departmental services in 12 Indigenous languages• Organising more than 100 events for National Reconciliation Week across Australia each year• Enlisting Indigenous Champions at the Senior Executive level• Implementing our Indigenous Servicing Strategy 2016–17, delivering real improvements

to services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples• Implementing our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Employees Plan 2016–17,

delivering real improvements to the support provided to departmental Indigenous staff.

These successes provide us with a solid foundation to make further progress over the next four yearsRob Priddin, Director



Indigenous employment milestone

‘To begin with, some people doubted whether we could achieve a five per cent Indigenous workforce milestone but we did it. When we are united in our vision and we all work together, anything is possible.’ Craig Leon, Director



Indigenous Apprenticeship ProgramWe are here because of the support of our buddies, our mentors, our team leaders, our managers and, most importantly, our families and each other. We have been given great training opportunities. And with this we have been able to become valued team members. Not only in our service centres, but within our zones and the department as a whole.

Our learning and achievements have empowered us to be confident team members and decision– makers. In turn, the department has grown and learned from having the Indigenous Apprenticeships Program and what we can bring to the table.

We have become leaders and role models in our families and our communities. It has given me personally a great sense of pride, obligation and responsibility, not only to myself but to my family and my community, to continue growing and to be a positive role model as an employee of the department.

Duane Blackman, Indigenous Apprenticeship Program graduation speech, 2017



Indigenous ChampionsOur dedicated Indigenous Champions are passionate about establishing an environment within the APS that attracts Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, nurtures their individual talents and supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff to succeed in their chosen careers.

My role as Indigenous Champion has allowed me to connect with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff across the department to learn more about potential barriers to them thriving in their APS employment. I have deepened my understanding of Indigenous culture and also my understanding of the different skills we need as managers and different approaches we need to take to ensure Indigenous Australians feel culturally safe, valued and supported in the workplace.

As the APS Indigenous Champions Network chair of the Regional Presence Working Group, I have seen how we can help Indigenous Australians right across the country flourish in their careers through networking and career guidance. I find it personally rewarding knowing that in some small way I have helped to make this happen.

Michelle Lees, Indigenous Champion



What we have learnedOur journey has taught us a number of valuable lessons. Some of these lessons are shared below.

Reconciliation takes a long–term commitmentThe past few years have highlighted that it’s best to work with time and not against it. Every one of our staff has a diverse range of experiences that we need to include in our reconciliation journey. As a result, we dedicated more time to developing this plan.

Understanding through storytellingWe have found storytelling to be helpful in improving staff understanding and appreciation of Indigenous culture, history and the challenges faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. As a result, we invite Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to share their stories at key events in the department.

Listening is learningOur journey so far has shown us how important it is to listen to our people, especially the department’s National Indigenous Coalition, which provides valuable input into how we can improve reconciliation. As a result, we encourage our staff to shape our reconciliation journey.

We help the Australian Public ServiceWe have found that the APS values our staff who are experienced in working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Our people have proven that they can apply their skills in numerous roles to improve service delivery to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. As a result, we will continue to support our people progressing their careers across the APS.

Our actions deliver broader benefitsOur staff have gained skills through working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples which enable them to better serve people from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. As a result, we are better able to serve the diverse Australian public.

Together we find solutionsOur footprint across Australia has given us opportunities to connect with many different organisations, businesses and people. We have found that being open about issues and solutions allows us to establish more meaningful partnerships.



Storytelling and sharing cultureWe have an Acknowledgement or a Welcome to Country ceremony in official events to recognise and pay respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ cultures and heritage. We developed protocols and information sheets to help our people understand what is appropriate.



National Indigenous Coalition and listening

The National Indigenous Coalition (NIC) is the department’s peak strategic and advisory forum on the delivery of payments, services and products for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The NIC provides opportunities for the department’s Indigenous servicing network to engage with business areas across the department on issues affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander customers, communities and employees.‘The NIC’s high level of sponsorship within the department ensures that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices are heard and incorporated into the work we do for all Australians. Consultation coupled with action in this manner provides a solid platform for ongoing reconciliation.’Anthony Creek, Service Manager

What we will achieve over the next four yearsWe are excited about our continuing reconciliation journey. We have set ourselves a number of ambitious targets across four focus areas, which we are going to work hard to meet within four years. The past several years of our journey have shown us what can be achieved with commitment and a shared purpose.

Our areas of focusOur key areas over the next four years:

• Our leadership• Our people• Our relationships• Our services.

The national conversationThe national conversation focuses on race relations, unity, equality and equity, institutional integrity and historical acceptance, and our actions will:

• promote understanding and acceptance of our shared past• help our APS partners recruit Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

and make them feel valued and welcome within the APS• build more respectful and sustainable APS governance arrangements that promote

respectful engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples• draw upon a vast footprint across Australia to connect our subject matter

expertise to our APS partners• help support our APS partners on their own reconciliation journeys.



Indigenous Servicing StrategyPartnership

Agreem

ents

Aboriginal & ToToT rres Strait Islander Employees

Strateg

y

Corpor

ate Plan

OurLeadership

Our Services

OurRela

tionships

Our People

Historical Acceptance

Unity

Race Relations

Equality and Equity

Institutional Integrity

National Reconciliation



Our leadership commitmentsLeadership is about inspiring people to do their very best for reconciliation. Our leadership commitments distinguish us within the APS. We have become pioneers by innovating and challenging ourselves to continually improve how we do things.

Sharing our story with the nationWe believe we can do more for national reconciliation by reflecting on our shared history and giving the general public more information about it. The APS has held a unique position in our nation’s history. We have supported governments from both sides of politics and have witnessed key moments in reconciliation history. The department’s footprint has also given us the privilege of working with many passionate people who have brought their own stories about who they are, what they have overcome and why reconciliation is important.

Our marquee activity over the next four years will involve creating a digital collection to share with the nation. ‘Our history with Indigenous Australia’ will be a digital collection of records and interviews that will give the general public and future generations access to archival records, documents and interviews with key people who have been there as the nation’s reconciliation journey has evolved.

This will help the general public learn more about the attitudes to and injustices experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples from the past so that they are not repeated. We will also encourage and support our APS partners to follow our lead by undertaking similar projects. This will help make records about historic injustices available to the public. The ‘State of Reconciliation in Australia Report’ states that many Australians are unsure of details of our shared history but agree that it’s important to learn about them. We will work over the next four years to address this.

We will:

• play a leadership role within the Australian Government by progressing reconciliation across the APS• actively lead Whole-of-Government Indigenous workforce initiatives• publicly report progress against our reconciliation actions through our Corporate Plan and Annual Report• develop a digital collection ‘Our history with Indigenous Australia’ for the benefit of the general public• share our knowledge across the APS and with Elevate organisations• give our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff leadership opportunities• help more APS agencies recruit Indigenous apprentices.



Our actions over the next four years include:

ACTION TARGET LEAD

Jun 2019 Jun 2020 Jun 2021 Jun 2022

1. Drive the development of a digital collection to the theme ‘Our history with Indigenous Australia’.

Planning and engagement

Archive retrieval and interviews

Digitisation of collection

Achieved Chief Operating Officer CorporateEnabling

2. Publicly reporting progress against our reconciliation actions through our Corporate Plan and Annual Report.

Investigated Achieved Achieved Achieved Chief Operating Officer CorporateEnabling

3. Be represented at the annual Garma gathering each year.

Senior Executive representation achieved




Chief Operating Officer CorporateEnabling

4. Create a reconciliation talking circle with Elevate organisations.

Two meetings per annum





5. Broaden our Indigenous Apprenticeship Program from 13 government agencies.

Expanded to at least one more government agency





6. Expand our Indigenous Cultural Awareness Training across the APS on a fee–for–service basis from three agencies.






7. Pilot a local place–based approach with other RAP organisations.

Investigated Investigated Developed Achieved Chief Operating Officer CorporateEnabling

8. Offer leadership training to our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workforce.

Improved level of participation from previous year





Owning our past

‘People need to know more about our shared history. We are in a position to help people tell their stories and also learn more. This can help us work towards a better future.’Andrei Leschev, Assistant Director



Our people commitmentsReconciliation is something that all our people can embrace. Our people are our most valuable asset and we want them to be active in the next steps of our reconciliation journey. We will provide them with opportunities to deepen their knowledge and time to reflect upon the past and celebrate the present.

We will continue to be a major employer of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the APS. We commit to welcoming Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to our workforce, nurturing their individual talents and helping them apply their skills for the benefit of all Australians.

Our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Employees Strategy 2018–22 builds on the success of the previous plans and seeks to improve the employment circumstances and future prospects for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We have a presence in most towns and cities throughout Australia and in small and remote communities.

There is a significant gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other Australians in relation to employment outcomes and this strategy helps reduce this gap.

We will:

• be more visible in our reconciliation journey by supporting our people to further embrace and participate in the celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures

• have a culturally capable workforce and create opportunities for them to deepen their knowledge of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures

• position our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Employees Strategy 2018–22 to play a greater role in shaping our future workforce

• grow our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workforce and empower them to achieve their career potential.




ACTION TARGET LEAD

Jun 2019 Jun 2020 Jun 2021 Jun 2022

9. Celebrate National Reconciliation Week and NAIDOC Week nationally.

At least one national event held





10. Embrace and celebrate National Reconciliation Week at the local level.

Promote connections with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nations

Promote connections with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nations and Elevate partners

Promote connections with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nations and RAP partners

Promote connections with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nations and RAP partners


11. Deliver refreshed Indigenous Cultural Awareness Training to our workforce regularly.

Training material refreshed

Indigenous cultural awareness training completed by 95% of our workforce

Training material refreshed

Indigenous cultural awareness training completed by 95% of our workforce


12. Provide more opportunities to experience Indigenous culture through Jawun, facilitated Indigenous Cultural Awareness Training learning and Graduate Remote Placements.

Increased number of placements from previous year





13. Share practices for the recruitment and retention of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across the APS.

Review APS strategies and develop better practice

Share results with APS agencies

Review APS strategies and develop better practice

Share results with APS agencies


14. Grow our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workforce.

≥5% of our total workforce





15. Grow our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workforce at APS6 – SES levels.

≥2% of people at each level


≥2.5% of people at each level



16. Develop more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander role models from within our workforce.

Increased participation in the Indigenous mentorship program





17. Helping our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workforce remain connected to their communities.

Ceremonial leave reminders and manager discussions by September







Our relationship commitmentsOur service footprint across Australia means that we can support, connect and grow a wide range of relationships. We can help Indigenous businesses, organisations and people thrive and be more prosperous.

Our relationships are based on wanting to learn and improve. We share our knowledge with our partners and encourage them to set in place their own steps towards reconciliation. We are working more with businesses, other government agencies, Supply Nation and Reconciliation Australia to help establish stronger and mutually beneficial partnerships.

We will:

• support Indigenous networks across the APS by providing access to a wide network of people working across Australia

• create new and strengthen existing relationships by sharing knowledge and learning opportunities• explore ways to connect our people to Indigenous not–for–profit organisations• grow our spending with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses• increase the number of Indigenous businesses we contract.

Our work with Indigenous businesses

‘I meet with Indigenous suppliers to learn about the services they provide and to share information about the department’s procurement practices. At these meetings, I acknowledge the traditional owners of the land we meet on and pay my respect to Indigenous elders when we meet. When preparing for a meeting like this, I take time to reflect on what is important to Indigenous Australians and not just my own agenda. One Indigenous business women I met with had travelled from Northern Queensland to meet with a number of Commonwealth agencies in Canberra. Her meeting with me was the last one on her itinerary and when I acknowledged the traditional owners of the land and paid my respect to elders past and present, she was very moved and appreciative. She told me that no other agency or group she met with here in Canberra had done the same. I am glad the department has the protocols and information to help me connect with Indigenous suppliers.’Susie Gill, Supplier Diversity Officer




ACTION TARGET LEAD

Jun 2019 Jun 2020 Jun 2021 Jun 2022

18. Open up access to our network of people working across Australia for Indigenous networks across the APS.

Investigated Developed Implemented Achieved Chief Operating Officer CorporateEnabling

19. Create secondments with Reconciliation Australia, partner agencies and/or Indigenous organisations.


20. Build a network for alumni who have been on Indigenous placements across the country.


21. Explore ways for staff to volunteer to help Indigenous not–for–profit organisations.

Investigated Developed Implemented Achieved Indigenous Champions

22. Increase spending into Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses.

$6m $7m $8m $9m Chief Operating Officer CorporateEnabling

23. Increase the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses that we contract with from 90.

95 businesses Increase from previous year

Increase from previous year

Increase from previous year


24. Share our experiences with procuring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses.

Present or host at least one forum





There is a significant gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other Australians in relation to employment outcomes and this strategy helps reduce this gap. Jenny Adams, Director



Our service commitmentsWe provide services to almost every Australian. This includes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples living in urban, regional, rural and remote areas across Australia.

Our service commitments are about improving our services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and walking with them on our service transformation journey.

Indigenous service design standardsThe Indigenous Servicing Strategy 2018–22 has introduced a set of service design standards to guide the way we design and deliver services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. These ensure appropriate outcomes are considered and cultural best practice is applied. They also strengthen our commitment to improve service delivery to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. To ensure the Indigenous service design standards are applied consistently, departmental subject matter experts will review new initiatives and projects and provide advice and support about the service needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We will also apply the Indigenous service design standards to all new budget initiatives and departmental registered projects using existing departmental project management processes and frameworks.

Citizen–centric design and experienceWe will also be applying a citizen–centric approach to designing and refining our services more broadly. This will help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples influence the way services are delivered to them and give us more insight into what we can do to improve their end–to–end service experience.

We will:

• explore new ways to improve Indigenous servicing• make our Indigenous Servicing Strategy 2018–22 the standard for designing services

to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples• design digital services to better meet the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

peoples in urban, regional, rural and remote areas• ensure our online services and mobile apps are culturally appropriate and supportive

of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander customers• help more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples receive the ongoing healthcare

they need and to which they are entitled• offer more Indigenous languages and assist in their preservation.




ACTION TARGET LEAD

Jun 2019 Jun 2020 Jun 2021 Jun 2022

25. Apply an Indigenous Service Design Standard to all Budget initiatives.

Achieved Achieved Achieved Achieved Deputy Secretary Service Delivery Operations

26. Undertake trials into improving Indigenous servicing.

Investigated Developed Implemented Achieved Deputy Secretary Service Delivery Operations

27. Ensure the department’s digital strategy considers the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Achieved Achieved Achieved Achieved Deputy Secretary Payments Reform

28. Ensure our online services and mobile apps are culturally appropriate and supportive of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander customers.

Achieved Achieved Achieved Achieved Deputy Secretary Payments Reform

29. Promote the health servicing benefits of maintaining ongoing relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.

Increased engagement with practices and clinics to promote services that contribute to better health outcomes

Maintain or improve from previous year.



Deputy Secretary Health and Aged Care

30. Improve the APS health servicing capability by leveraging the department’s service footprint across Australia.

Investigated Developed Implemented Achieved Deputy Secretary Health and Aged Care

31. Expanding the number of our regularly offered Indigenous languages from 12.

At least 13 languages




Deputy Secretary Service Delivery Operations

32. Developing digital content to help preserve Indigenous languages.

At least four language groups

At least four new language groups



Deputy Secretary Service Delivery Operations

Indigenous languages Indigenous interpreters assist Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to access our services, improve the accuracy of the information we collect and help to preserve Indigenous languages and cultures. We work with our partners to ensure there are interpreting services for approximately 100 of the Indigenous languages spoken in Australia today. We also have our own interpreters to cover 12 Indigenous languages where there is a need for regular interpreting services. These are: Alywawarr, Arrernte (eastern–central and western), Kriol (top end), Pitjantjatjara, Pintupi–Luritja, Yumpla Tok (also known as Torres Strait Creole), Meriam Mir, Kala Lagaw Ya, Kala Kawaw Ya, Warlpiri and Yol u Matha (including Djambarruyngu). We aim to expand our regular interpreting services to capture more languages.



Reporting and governanceWe will be role models in managing and reporting on our progress with our reconciliation actions.

ReportingWe will publicly report progress against our reconciliation actions through our Annual Report. Our progress against our reconciliation actions will also be made available to the general public on the department’s webpage humanservices.gov.au. We will also participate in Reconciliation Australia’s annual Reconciliation Impact Measurement questionnaire and its two–yearly Workplace RAP Barometer report.

Health services

‘I value the opportunity I have been given in the role of a Medicare Liaison Officer. Advocating, being the voice for the community, and seeking changes in service delivery and processes gives me a great sense of pride. Change can be made to improve access and make it easier for our community members.’Elaine Baker, Medicare Liaison Officer

RAP

RAP Impact Measurement Questionnaire Annual Report

Workplace RAP Barometer


Reconciliation Action Plan 2018–22 24Reconciliation Action Plan 2018–22 24

GovernanceWe will have sustainable governance arrangements in the pursuit of reconciliation by incorporating the following structure.

Executive Committee – responsible for monitoring the implementation of the department’s reconciliation actions.

RAP Steering Group – a group of Senior Executives that meets, at a minimum, six times per year who oversee and monitor the RAP.

RAP Working Group – a group made up of subject matter experts that meets four times per year, and is given specific tasks by the RAP Steering Group to progress reconciliation.

Indigenous Champions – a group of selected leaders within the department who are responsible for advocating for improved recruitment, retention and developmental outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff. The department’s Indigenous Champions are committed to engaging with employees to ensure priorities are understood and their ideas for making improvements are captured, considered and progressed.

Executive Committee

Indigenous ChampionsRAP Working Group

RAP Steering Group

Stakeholders



Would you like to learn more?Our RAP 2018–22 and RAP 2015–17 are available

on our website: humanservices.gov.au

If you would like more information about our plan and programs we are making available to other

Australian Government agencies please email us at: [email protected]


reconciliation action plan 2018-22 - services australia · every australian. in 2017–18 alone, we...

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